This is to the woman who helped raise me when I was a little terror. To the woman who let me stay at hers when I had the flu so I wouldn’t pass it to my brother and sister. To the woman who watched me and my siblings attack each other with giant pillows. This is to one of the most amazing women I had the pleasure of knowing. My Aunt Jeanne.

I could honestly go on all day talking about how amazing this woman was and how much she meant to me. But I won’t… mainly because I don’t know how to put it into words. Since I were a child, she practically helped my Dad raise me, my brother and sister. Giving us pocket money and sweeties. We would go down almost everyday, before school and after school. We would be always laughing and silly little things and watching random T.V shows. Chinese and Fish and chips in the week. My Aunt Jeanne was truly an angel, an actual blessing.

She always put everyone first and was always happy to help no matter what the problem was. You always felt welcome going to her home and it didn’t matter what time it was, her door was always open. Jeanne was a special woman in the sense that you could tell her you were thinking about robbing a bank and you know what she would say? “Take me with you, they wouldn’t expect an old lady to be up to no good” Obviously I never told her I wanted to rob a bank, but it was nice knowing I have someone I can trust and who has my back.

I always wanted to make her proud and I’m not giving up until I have done that! Auntie Jeanne is the main reason why I wanted to get into care work and I just wished I had figured it out sooner. Now she won’t be here to see me actually do it or meet my children or be at my wedding. No more Christmas’ or Birthdays or Easters or anything with her. I now have a huge hole in my heart in the shape of this amazing woman and its been there since Sunday 17th November 2019.

I just wish I got to tell her that I loved her once more and I really wish I got to say goodbye. As much as goodbyes suck ass, not having one sucks more. And its not as if I haven’t had a death before, but this one really stings. This woman meant the absolute world to me and now I’m lost…

For someone who was only 96 years young, she had quite a life! wars, weddings, deaths. You name it she lived it! I just hope I have at least half of the amazing experiences she had! So here’s for you Auntie Jeanne…

I love you and Goodbye.

I have always hated introducing myself to people ever since I was a child, yet here I writing my first ever blog! You will have to bare with me as I have no clue on what the heck I am meant to say/do. So! The name is Sophie. Not Soph! Do not ever call me Soph unless you gave me life or I have blessed you with permission. But I am not JUST Sophie. I am a daughter, sister, girlfriend, friend, life of the party and the local sarcastic redhead. It doesn’t pay much but its honest work and someone has to do it.

I drink way too much coffee! To the point where I am attempting to write this at 3am… I wish I could blame the lack of sleep and the time for the shitty writing, but alas its just me I’m afraid. I am known to be quite sarcastic but I honestly don’t understand why… My moods go up and down like a fat kid on a seesaw and boy I wish I was joking! Honestly I would like to thank everyone who is in my life right now cos boy am I a moody cow! I also have a slight obsession with Koalas and Stitch, but I mean who doesn’t?! Also Halloween is by far the best holiday and if you say different then you are lying which is a sin so I will be seeing you down in hell!

So what else do you need to know about me? Well I play too many videogames and yet I am still shit at all of them! I listen to more sad songs than I care to admit. I hate bacon and pineapple on pizza! If you have a problem with that the FIGHT ME BRO!!!! I am also the oldest of 5 children so we all know I am the favourite lets be real. I tell people I dislike Star Wars when in reality I don’t mind it at all. Favourite colour is orange and no, it has nothing to do with me being ginger.

Look at me writing as if people are actually going to read this crap! But to be quite honest I get it. I get why people write blogs. It sets you free and honestly that sounds great to me! Even if I am the only one who sees these, I’m quite happy to tap away on my keyboard listening to random songs with a warm coffee in my very adorabubble koala mug.

But for now, peace out girl scout!

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.